Dog 'fatally shot' by deputy found at vet | News

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13WMAZ has new information on a story we brought you Saturday. It centers around a dog shot by a Bibb county deputy.

A report from police says the dog was fatally wounded, but Jennifer Moulliet has learned that dog is still alive and recovering at Southwood Animal Hospital in Warner Robins.

"Right now she's limping, there's a lot of trauma to her skin, swelling around her shoulder," explains veterinarian, Maddi Penner.

Nicki Brooks, a member of Fur Ever After Rescue, named the one year old animal "Lucky" after she found the dog wounded over the weekend. "She was pretty lucky to be alive especially being in that condition for five hours."

A press release from the Bibb county sheriff's office says the dog was being aggressive and charged an officer.

"The entry wound seems to be above the shoulder and came out around her arm pit. There are other smaller wounds but the bullet was under her skin. We had to remove that surgically at a different site," explains Penner.

Officers say Lucky was roaming around the Skyview Mobile Home Park. Neighbors say wandering canines are common in their neighborhood.

Last May, a woman was attacked by dogs that had escaped their pens while their owners were on vacation. Brooks says Lucky's owner told her he left his three dogs in his gated yard Saturday, but they escaped.

"They said they had fatally shot an aggressive dog but yet she's here alive," says Brooks.

Bibb Sheriff David Davis says animal control was called. They picked up one dog and tried to restrain Lucky, but Davis says she ran away, injured. "There was a failing at some point of verification and follow up and that's something we're looking into," says Davis.

He says he's concerned that no one pursued the wounded dog. Instead Brooks and Lucky's owner found her underneath a neighbor's trailer several hours after the shooting.

"Failure to follow up and callousness and that's not something that I'm not going to tolerate," says Davis.

For now, Lucky is recovering after surgery and will be adopted once she's well.Critical Care for Animal Angels and Fur Ever After Rescue are paying Lucky's medical bills. Nicki Brooks tells us the third dog was found by his owner and is back at home.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Davis says it's unfortunate when an officer does have to take severe force on animals, but sometimes it's necessary to protect the officer or citizens. He adds that he does expect officers to follow up and alleviate any suffering.